The Russian press is furious after US missile strikes targeted a Syrian airfield on Thursday, and, judging by social media sentiments, so are many regular Russians — setting the stage for a tense visit by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson later this week.

Secretary Tillerson spoke with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in a call on Saturday, which Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims was initiated by the Americans. Tillerson is expected to arrive in Moscow for face-to-face discussions on Wednesday. News of the planned meeting, Tillerson’s first as secretary, was published prior to the American missile strike, though the attack on Syria is now likely to be front and center.

The meeting was initially expected to test President Trump’s desires for closer ties with President Putin, but now many Russians are clamoring for Lavrov to confront Tillerson.

Russia’s media slammed the missile strike, with newspaper headlines stating that the strike was “more than a mistake,” and that the U.S. is working “on the side of terrorists.” Before the strike, the Trump administration had stated its priority was to work with Russia and the Assad regime to fight ISIS in Syria. Opinion pieces flooded the Russian press claiming that American diplomacy is illogical, and that Washington can’t lead negotiations for a peace deal in Syria.

Meanwhile, on Russian social media, hundreds discussed Lavrov’s conversations with Tillerson, and many believed that negotiations would be futile. “When Tillerson comes to Moscow, I suggest Lavrov punch him in the eye, and then offer talks on Syria,” one user on the social media network VKontakte posted.

Another user stated, “It would have been better if he [Tillerson] did not come to Russia. Without the Americans, it’s calmer, and wherever they are awaits trouble and sorrow.”

“What kind of negotiations?” A third user asked. “There will be no negotiations. Tillerson will accuse us all collectively.”

At a meeting of NATO’s foreign ministers Tillerson, when hearing one minister speak of taking a two-tier approach with Russia, because "it takes two to tango," Tillerson responded: "Sure, you can dance with Russia and you might also gain something out of it. But for sure you cannot tango with [Sergey] Lavrov because he is not allowed to dance that one."

The implication, diplomats said, was that only one man is in charge in Russia.

Lavrov’s comment was brief and to the point, "My mother used to tell me: always be a good boy, don’t ever dance with other boys."

"I’ve heard the rumor that such an exchange of opinion did occur at NATO foreign ministers’ meeting on March 31. If Rex Tillerson feels he is still not good enough at dancing to invite any partner, we are ready to help," Lavrov said.

When U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited NATO headquarters last week, he was applauded by fellow foreign ministers for a cheeky comment about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who, he said, isn’t allowed to tango because President Vladimir Putin is the one who calls all the moves in Russia.

Asked at a Moscow news conference Tuesday about the comment, first reported by POLITICO, Lavrov offered a good-natured riposte: “My mama, also, forbade me to dance with boys.”

Lavrov quickly added that he was ready to teach Tillerson, who is new to public service, how to twirl on the diplomatic stage.

If Tillerson “feels that he cannot dance at all, well then, we are ready to help. He is a very accomplished man. He will learn quickly,” Lavrov said, according to Russian media.

Lavrov, who is known for his sharp wit, then turned serious, saying Russia very much looks forward to an upcoming visit by Tillerson to Moscow.

The visit — the first to Russia by the former ExxonMobil chief executive since becoming secretary of state — will take place at a time of heightened scrutiny of Russia’s involvement in American politics. Currently, the FBI and congressional committees are looking into contacts between Moscow and Donald Trump’s campaign before the U.S. election in November.

Trump pledged repeatedly during the campaign that he planned to foster better relations with Putin and Russia. But in recent weeks, his administration has taken a tougher approach and a dramatic warming of relations seems unlikely anytime soon.

“I am convinced that we will speak frankly about all issues on our bilateral agenda and international affairs,” Lavrov said at Tuesday’s news conference, citing “existing and worsening problems in the Middle East, in other parts of the world, including in Europe, on which progress will not be achieved unless Russia and the United States can establish a practical dialogue.”

According to the White House, “President Trump offered the full support of the United States Government in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice. Both President Trump and President Putin agreed that terrorism must be decisively and quickly defeated.”

Reviews

Reviews

The statistical effects of the October 28 Letter | Federal Bureau of Investigation - NYT

"Many good questions could and should al-zo be asked when Mr. Comey testifies in the closed session of the House Intelligence Committee next week... Comey's overall "motivations" might be complex and and at the same time simple: the security of the country. The details of these complexities are not easy to read..." - by Michael Novakhov - 4.25.17

Gangs, Intelligence Services, and Politics

M.N.: It would be unforgivably naive to suppose that the U.S. criminal Underworld is not controlled these days by the Russian Mafia, and, in turn, by the Russian Intelligence Services. It would also be unforgivably naive to suppose that there are no messages contained in the various criminal acts, and that there are no connections between the Underworld's recent operations and the present situation in the U.S., including the present investigations. As a matter of facts and the investigative leads, they might hold and provide the most easily accessible clues. Attention, the FBI and the significant others: do access these clues.

Smoke and Fire: The Trumputkins, the Trumpumpkins, "The Tillerson Ultimatum", and bad, bad Assad

By Michael Novakhov: So, the Trump - Putin mysterious marriage is on the rocks... The unresolved issues, whatever, whoever, and however triggers the attention to them and their discussions, have to be resolved: soundly, timely, fundamentally, and the long-term; otherwise they come back and accumulate, and together with the other unresolved issues, snowball and cause the avalanches. Nobody needs this mess, enough snow jobs everywhere... That's what Mishustin thinks...

"If you really want to fight ISIS, look into its origins and essence first." - Fight Against "ISIS"

In the opinion of the great many observers, those "sham" groups are nothing more than the creations and proxies of the Russian Military Intelligence (GRU), formed on the basis of the coalitions of the disaffected ex- Baathist Saddam's military (and first of all, military intelligence officers, historically tied with the GRU), with the "rebels-for-hire", and the Assad's Syrian Intelligence Services, which are also the proxies of the GRU.

"Trumpism" as the "social-political experiment" and the "Gang of Four"

The engineered election of Donald Trump as the U.S. President is the joint operation of the German, Russian, and Israeli Intelligence Services with the major executive and operational role played by the Russian-Jewish Mafia at the head of the International Organized Crime - by Michael Novakhov

Tillerson's Complaint:

"Lavrov won't dance with me..."

Lavrov's Response:

"My mama done tol' me... A man's a two-face..."

Vovchick "The Tarantula", why were you so "loud"?!

For Russia (or any other state), this extraordinary, unusual, demonstrative, primitive, blatant "loudness" was like digging her own grave with regard to the US - Russian relations, especially at the time when their improvement and the relief of sanctions is so desired by them, and no doubts, they would understand this very well. This peculiarity in this affair points to the possible deliberate set-up from the third party... The US - Russia - Germany triangle and the role of the revived German intelligence in it after the WW2 have to be examined under the most powerful microscope, in all their hidden details, and in the historical perspective.

Mike Nova's Shared NewsLinks Review

Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks

Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks

Howl!

The America of my dreams: Shattered. Raped.

The King Trump - by Michael Novakhov

The public prayers for His Majesty's health, wealth, and well-being, and also for the development of his additional intellectual capacities should be held no less than three times a day in all public squares, government offices, courthouses, and the places of worship, and also in all the private and public toilets, with the benefit of generating the taxable and multiple extra-flushes. Hopefully, it will flush out in due time.

The Information Age

All the relevant information at your fingertips: Information is not a commodity for sale but one of the most vital and important inalienable rights. To paraphrase Descartes: "I have access to information therefore I am". ("Information Age" - post of 11.30-21.13 | Image from: Information - Google Images)